May 13, 2022 | SPORTS | By Max Giles | Photo by Anil Jergens
The Colorado College Women’s Lacrosse team finished their season on a high note by defending their title as Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference champions. For the fourth consecutive year, CC women’s lacrosse brought the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference title home as they defeated the Southwestern University Pirates in a 24-8 battle on Washburn Field on Sunday, May 1.
After a slow first quarter, the team found their stride. Midfielder Caroline Shay was named offensive MVP in the game after an impressive six goal performance. Additionally, players such as Tobin Lonergan, Peyton Murphy, Delia Freliech, Annie Tucker and Olivia Dossett played a critical role in the Tigers’ victory. Overall, the win was a testament to the ability of the entire team as 14 different players found the back of the net.
The squad finished 10-8 on the year and just missed the invitation to the NCAA Division-3 tournament. Dossett ’23 gave an insider’s perspective on the impressive season, discussing how the SCAC championship was the perfect ending to the year, saying it was “a great representation of how far the team had come.” Dossett also noted that victory illustrated the intense team camaraderie, inspired by the seniors on the team who played in their final game on Sunday.
The team started the season relatively slowly, as it was the first “normal” season since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March of 2020. With an abundance of underclassmen, the team needed to adjust to find its chemistry.
This season included critical victories over teams Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Unfortunately, the Tigers also experienced some tough losses against Pomona-Pitzer Colleges and Amherst College. Despite these losses, the team rebounded and finished the season on a three-game winning streak. Dossett mentioned how once the team started to build confidence, they continued feeding off that energy.
The younger players started their careers on an astonishing level. For example, Lonergan finished the season with 59 points, which ranks 22nd on the program’s single-season list. She also scored 41 goals, which ties her for 24th. Dossett noted the bright future for Tigers lax: “the younger players displayed their talent and potential throughout the course of the season.”
The team was led by an incredible group of seniors and coaching staff. New assistant coach Ashley Johnson was a constant source of inspiration and encouragement for the team. Head Coach Susan Stuart is incredibly driven and has had a meaningful impact on the sport. Dossett summarized what Stuart means to the team perfectly: “It is powerful to have a coach that believes in you and wants the best for you.”
As with many other CC sports teams, the future is bright for CC Women’s Lacrosse. With a talented group of underclassmen and a motivated group of upperclassmen, there is no telling the extent of the team’s potential.
Missing out on the NCAA tournament this year, Dossett said, is only more motivation for the 2022-23 season, and another year of experience with this young team will propel the Tigers to new heights in the future.